1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for more completely vaporizing the explosive fuel mixture for an internal combustion engine and has particular reference to apparatus for vaporizing and mixing water and gasoline or other explosive fuel with air and for preventing condensation prior to being admitted into the combustion chambers of the engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known that the application of small amounts of water vapor to the fuel-air mixture applied to the intake of an internal combustion engine will improve the performance of the engine, and cause a measurable increase in power and fuel savings. Heretofore, this has generally been accomplished by injecting a small spray of water or steam into the carburetor, from whence it is fed, along with a vaporized gasoline or other gaseous fuel into the combustion chambers of the engine. The U.S. patents to Hyvert No. 1,460,964, Fletcher No. 1,572,276 and Berger No. 3,177,851 are examples of such water vapor admitting devices.
Although such foregoing water vapor admitting devices are satisfactory to some extent, they are severely restricted in the amount of water vapor that they can inject into the engine and therefore any improvement resulting from admission of water vapor is likewise limited. This is mainly because the temperature of the air-fuel-water mixture passing through the carburetor is relatively low, due, for example, to the expansion of the gasoline during vaporization, thus resulting in a tendency for the mixture, particularly the water, to condense before or after it is admitted into the combustion chambers. If such condensation or improper vaporization of the mixture occurs, the engine performance is decreased rather than increased.